Stabilized projectile



March 26, 1968 Filed July 28,- 1966 R. R. RHODES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 STABILIZED PROJECTILE 44 m 2 i9 I I8 INVENTOR.

I21 chard R. Rhodes,

March 26, 1968 R. R. RHODES 3,374,969

STABILIZED PROJECTILE Filed July 28, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/VVE/VTO/Z: R L chc: rd [2. l2 bodes.

ATTORNEWI United States free 3,374,969 STABILIZED PROJECTILE Richard R. Rhodes, Cheltenham, Pa., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed July 28, 1966, Ser. No. 568,681 3 Claims. (Cl. 244-327) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fin stabilized projectile including a head portion of larger diameter than the bore of the weapon from which it is fired. A boom portion integral with the head portion and capable of passage through the weapon bore, and having a reduced diameter portion at its rear end. Resilient stabilizing means secured to the reduced portion of the boom and capable of passage through the bore.

The invention relates to a stabilized projectile and more particularly to an expanding fin stabilized projectile which can be fired from a small bore weapon.

It is desirable to fire oversize projectiles from small bore weapons. One method presently used for this purpose is to mount the projectile on the end of a bore size boom, the boom being inserted in the weapon. However, this method does not allow the projectile to have the large fin area required for in-fiight stability and thus no reasonable degree of accuracy can be achieved.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a stabilized oversized projectile which can be fired from a small bore weapon.

Another object is the provision of a stabilized projectile having an expandable stabilizing fin assembly.

The above objects as well as others together with the benefits and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon reference to the detailed description set forth below, particularly when taken in conjunction with the drawings annexed hereto in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an elevational view, partly in section, of the invention in its firing position.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the invention in its flight position.

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of one part of the stabilizing fin assembly of the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates the stabilizing assembly in its closed position.

FIG. 5 illustrates the stabilizing assembly in its extended position.

This invention consists of interlocked spring metallic vanes, suitably of steel, which Wrap tightly around the projectile boom. Upon muzzle exit, these vanes extend automatically to form a shrouded fin assembly. This device combines advantages of firing large projectiles from small bore weapons with the stabilizing ability of full size fins with resultant increased accuracy.

As can be seen in FIG. 1 projectile has ahead portion 12 which is too large to fit into barrel 14 of a small bore weapon (not shown). The projectile 10 has a boom portion 16 which is of a diameter to allow it to be re- 0 leasably secured in barrel 14. A stabilizing fin assembly 18 is secured to the rear portion of boom 16 and is shown, in FIGS. 1 and 4, in its closed position. This stabilizing fin assembly 18 is held in its closed position by the barrel 14 of the small bore weapon. The stabilizing assembly 18 is comprised of a Series of individual resilient vanes 20 which are T-shaped and have a slot 22 in the head portion thereof. When assembled, each vane 20 is passed through slot 22 of an adjacent vane 20 and attached, by a weld, or the like, to projectile boom 16 at body portion 24 thereof to form an interlocked stabilizing system. Vanes 20 are free to slide in slots 22 allowing assembly 18 to be tightly wrapped around boom 16 for insertion into the weapon. However, in the open position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, spring tension of the vanes is suflicient to maintain them in their desired shrouded fin configuration. The portion 26, on the rearward section of projectile boom 16, to which vanes 20 are attached, is reduced in diameter to accommodate the fin assembly in its collapsed state. Fin assembly 18 is thus retained in its closed position while in the barrel of the weapon. When projectile 10 leaves the weapon, the energy stored in flexible spring steel vanes 20 opens the fin assembly 18 to flight position.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood, that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A fin stabilized projectile having a head portion of a larger diameter than the bore of a weapon from which it is fired,

a boom integral with said head portion and adapted to be snugly received in said weapon bore, said boom having a reduced diameter portion at a rearward end thereof,

resilient stabilizing means attached to said reduced portion and capable of passage through said bore,

said stabilizing means being so constructed and arranged that when said projectile is released from said weapon said stabilizing means will radially expand to provide in-fiight stability to said projectile.

2. A projectile of the type described in claim 1, wherein said stabilizing means consists of a plurality of individual flexible, T-shaped vanes, each of said vanes being secured to said reduced portion.

3. A projectile of the type described in claim 2, wherein each of said T-shaped vanes has a head portion and a body portion, said head portion having a slot disposed therein, such that interlocking of adjacent vanes is achieved by having the body portion of one vane pass through the slot in the head portion of an adjacent vane.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,296,403 3/1919 Kindle 244-328 2,421,752 6/1947 Jones 244-329 X 2,494,885 1/1950 Lax et al 102-4 3,081,703 3/1963 Kamp et al 244-327 3,188,957 6/1965 Petre 244-327 FOREIGN PATENTS 556,302 4/1923 France.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. SAMUEL FEINBERG, Examiner.

V. R. PENDEGRASS, Assistant Examiner. 

